Philippines

Law Enforcement

Until the mid-1970s, when a major restructuring of the
nation's police system was undertaken, the Philippine
Constabulary alone was responsible for law enforcement on a
national level. Independent city and municipal police forces took
charge of maintaining peace and order on a local level, calling
on the constabulary for aid when the need arose. The National
Police Commission, established in 1966 to improve the
professionalism and training of local police, had loose
supervisory authority over the police. It was widely accepted,
however, that this system had several serious defects. Most
noteworthy were jurisdictional limitations, lack of uniformity
and coordination, disputes between police forces, and partisan
political involvement in police employment, appointments,
assignments, and promotions. Local political bosses routinely
used police as private armies, protecting their personal
interests and intimidating political opponents.

In order to correct such deficiencies, the 1973 constitution
provided for the integration of public safety forces. Several
presidential decrees were subsequently issued, integrating the
police, fire, and jail services in the nation's more than 1,500
cities and municipalities. On August 8, 1975, Presidential Decree
765 officially established the joint command structure of the
Philippine Constabulary and Integrated National Police. The
constabulary, which had a well-developed nationwide command and
staff structure, was given the task of organizing the
integration. The chief of the Philippine Constabulary served
jointly as the director general of the Integrated National
Police. As constabulary commander, he reported through the
military chain of command, and as head of the Integrated National
Police, he reported directly to the minister (later secretary) of
national defense. The National Police Commission was transferred
to the Ministry (later Department) of National Defense, retaining
its oversight responsibilities but turning over authority for
training and other matters to the Philippine Constabulary and
Integrated National Police.

The Integrated National Police was assigned responsibility
for public safety, protection of lives and property, enforcement
of laws, and maintenance of peace and order throughout the
nation. To carry out these responsibilities, it was given powers
"to prevent crimes, effect the arrest of criminal offenders and
provide for their detention and rehabilitation, prevent and
control fires, investigate the commission of all crimes and
offenses, bring the offenders to justice, and take all necessary
steps to ensure public safety." In practice, the Philippine
Constabulary retained responsibility for dealing with serious
crimes or cases involving jurisdictions far separated from one
another, and the Integrated National Police took charge of less
serious crimes and local traffic, crime prevention, and public
safety.

The Integrated National Police's organization paralleled that
of the constabulary. The thirteen Philippine Constabulary
regional command headquarters were the nuclei for the Integrated
National Police's regional commands. Likewise, the constabulary's
seventy-three provincial commanders, in their capacity as
provincial police superintendents, had operational control of
Integrated National Police forces in their respective provinces.
Provinces were further subdivided into 147 police districts,
stations, and substations. The constabulary was responsible for
patrolling remote rural areas. In Metro Manila's four cities and
thirteen municipalities, the Integrated National Police's
Metropolitan Police Force shared the headquarters of the
constabulary's Capital Command. The commanding general of the
Capital Command was also the director of the Integrated National
Police's Metropolitan Police Force and directed the operations of
the capital's four police and fire districts.

As of 1985, the Integrated National Police numbered some
60,000 people, a marked increase over the 1980 figure of 51,000.
Approximately 10 percent of these staff were fire and prison
officials, and the remainder were police. The Philippine National
Police Academy provided training for Integrated National Police
officer cadets. Established under the Integrated National
Police's Training Command in 1978, the academy offered a bachelor
of science degree in public safety following a two-year course of
study. Admission to the school was highly competitive.

Integrated National Police was the subject of some criticism,
and the repeated object of reform. Police were accused of
involvement in illegal activities, violent acts and abuse.
Charges of corruption were frequent. To correct the Integrated
National Police's image problem, the government sponsored
programs to identify and punish police offenders, and training
designed to raise their standard of appearance, conduct, and
performance.

Dramatic changes were planned for the police in 1991. The
newly formed Philippine National Police was to be a strictly
civilian organization, removed from the armed forces and placed
under a new civilian department known as the Department of the
Interior and Local Government.

Local police forces were supported at the national level by
the National Bureau of Investigation. As an agency of the
Department of Justice, the National Bureau of Investigation was
authorized to "investigate, on its own initiative and in the
public interest, crimes and other offenses against the laws of
the Philippines; to help whenever officially requested,
investigate or detect crimes or other offenses; (and) to act as a
national clearing house of criminal records and other
information." In addition, the bureau maintained a scientific
crime laboratory and provided technical assistance on request to
the police and constabulary.

Local officials also played a role in law enforcement. By
presidential decree, the justice system in the barangays
empowered village leaders to handle petty and less serious
crimes. The intent of the program was to reinforce the authority
of local officials and to reduce the workload on already
overtaxed Philippine law enforcement agencies.